Saturday, 16 August 2014

Article: Orji Uzor Kalu Standing For Himself

Orji Uzor Kalu

By Rubby Obinna

Chief Orji Uzor Kalu is
not facing the greatest opposition because of the political animosity the man
at the helm of affairs in Umuahia, Abia State, has been showing against him. What
the international business man, renowned peace-maker and ex-governor of Abia
State does understand is that while he is persecuted unjustly by his perceived
political foes, he is closest to his biggest miracle on earth.

That could be the
philosophy that has kept Kalu moving. For a long period of calmness on how his
traducers in the present Abia State Government have hounded him for no fault of
his through blackmails and character assassinations, the Igbere-born outspoken
personality bared his mind in the article – Reign of terror by Abia triumvirate
– on his Column, The Sun, Saturday, August 9 2014.

It was obvious after
reading that article that Kalu did not stand for pride and selfishness.
Notwithstanding, some of us knew that he would face a first degree attack from
the attack dogs of the government that he told the truth in the face without
mincing words. They knew that Kalu hates false personification of power; he
does show his love, strength and independence in the wilderness of cowards, as
many people aren’t wont to showcasing.

I’ve read many attacks
from the government’s aides against Kalu since he published that article. But
without mentioning names so that the government does not see me as one of the
Kalu’s aides, I would say that Kalu did a profound analysis of ‘truth’ in that
article and wish the government would learn from the points that Kalu raised
therein.

If Kalu hated anybody or
the government in his home state, he would have been very far and would not
make any contribution to better the lots in that state. But that was not the
case for Kalu who is not muddled in all ramifications. Kalu is not like a
growing cancer that stays silent; he does not show the trait of a coward; he
does not see such trait as intelligent for anyone who does not stand for
himself, according to the dictates of the society. At least, Kalu wants all to
know what he stood for.

Instead of attacking
Kalu unreasonably, I would have preferred that the aides of the government in
Umuahia saw that article as an encouragement from a father to his child to do
the rightful explorations in order to evade molestations from the society in
the near future. That was how I saw Kalu’s article, not as an attack against
the governor and the government in Umuahia.

It is obvious that a
child that does not take the rebuttals of the father does not grow and does not
master the art of whatever he or she is doing. That child will be over
controlled by obnoxious anxiety and will continue to fail and the outside world
will continue to overrun, maneuver and control such a child to the chagrin of
the father.

I did not see Kalu’s
position in that article like the voice of somebody that was insecure. I’ve
known Kalu as a man who does not show any sign of insecurity in whatsoever and
he is a man who does not falsify the past from any angle one looks at it.

Kalu always makes his
ways straight and his voice shows a big difference, always looking for a reason
to better the lots of humanity around him; and the government in Umuahia is a
part of that humanity around him. I think those calling Kalu names should have
seen him as a man who does not welcome dull moments, as one who copes with
difficult times and aswell, does everything within his coffers to rise above
odd times.

Against this backdrop,
the world could see that his God is always giving him blessings, but his
traducers rather than see reasons to enjoy the mammoth experiences that Kalu is
embedded with, they obviously think that their hearts are full to receive any
outside advise let alone Kalu’s. Any government, group or person that has no
love, has no power to exhibit to the society, except fierce and steady
falsification of ideas to sell to the society. This is the reason Kalu calls
for love and truth through his stream of consciousness so that any group or
person who is showing any sign of weakness can rise from slumber.

However, one Anthon St.
Maarten, as if speaking to Kalu, was quoted as saying: Never shy away from
opportunity and wholehearted living. Never be fearful of putting yourself out
there. The courageous may encounter many disappointments, experience profound
disillusionment, gather many wounds; but cherish your scars for they are the
proud emblems of a truly phenomenal life. The fearful, cautious, cynical and
self-repressed do not live at all. And that is simply no way to be in this
world.

But as if speaking to the government that Kalu
was writing to about truth, Susan Forward, in her work, “Toxic Parents:
Overcoming Their Hurtful Legacy and Reclaiming Your Life”, says: Just as
verbally and physically abused children internalize blame, so do incest
victims. However, in incest, the blame is compounded by the shame. The belief
that ‘it’s all my fault’ is never more intense than with the incest victim.
This belief fosters strong feelings of self-loathing and shame. In addition to
having somehow to cope with the actual incest, the victim must now guard
against being caught and exposed as a ‘dirty, disgusting’ person.

Chief Orji Uzor Kalu should continue to stand in
the shoes of compassion and tell truth to power without any form of biasness,
although I have not read him as a myopic personality. He is always straight to
the point. He should not degrade himself by listening to the side
distracters like the aides of the government in Umuahia or bother to reply
them. He should add to his solace with Israelmore Ayivor’s “The Great Hand
Book of Quotes”, which says, faith has won it! Fear has lost it! When you
get full of faith, the devil gets filled with fear! Keep your faith in light
every day and you will keep the devil in fright always! To waste a life with
fear is, really, the scariest thing.